Fitchburg area socked with snow -- again

The aptly named Snow Street in Fitchburg during Tuesday's storm. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / JOHN LOVE

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A staff and Associated Press report

FITCHBURG -- Parts of North Central Massachusetts saw nearly a foot of snow blanket the ground Tuesday -- more than was forecasted Monday -- as the region was placed under a winter-storm warning for much of the day.

Kim Buttrick, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Fitchburg got 9.2 inches of snow, while Leominster received 9.7 inches, Lunenburg got 11 inches and Ashby got 10.

In a forecast published Monday evening, forecasters predicted just 3 to 7 inches for the region, though they did issue a winter-storm warning, which only happens when forecasters expect at least 6 inches of snow in a 24-hour period.

Rosa Vazquez, an employee of McDonald's at near the Mall at Whitney Field in Leominster, cleans off her car as she get ready to go home after he shift was over Tuesday.
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The heavier-than-anticipated snowfall, which hit hardest in the afternoon as roads were clogged with commuter traffic, caused slick conditions and lots of minor crashes and spinouts, though no serious injuries were reported.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Kim Buttrick said more snow is expected to fall this morning, but warm temperatures should ensure it doesn't amount to much.

"It's expected to change to a mix of rain and snow by early afternoon with little to no accumulation," Buttrick said.

She said the region isn't out of the clear just yet. Computer models are showing two weather systems approaching the area.

Another storm may touch down in the area Friday, but she said it will likely just be rain.

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Leominster police Lt. Mark Amico said the afternoon was quiet in the city.

"Not too much is going on. Everything is pretty much shut down. The court closed early," he said, while noting that the low number of cars on the road helped with plowing.

"It's a good week to have school out," he said. "It actually hasn't been bad. People have their driving skills pretty much down pat so far."

Leominster Deputy Fire Chief Scott Cordio said firefighters responded to one or two minor accidents related to the snow but nothing serious.

Firefighters are hoping folks shovel out hydrants, like this on Main Street in Fitchburg.
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"There is no 'typical' when it comes to this weather," he said. "It changes all the time," he said. "It doesn't seem to be that many people on the road right now. It might increase during rush hour. From everything I've heard, it's very slow out there."

Cordio did say one thing that would help firefighters is residents shoveling out hydrants.

"We shovel a lot of them, but we don't get into every side street in every area," he said. "People have been calling about them. If we go somewhere, we'll shovel the hydrants when we're there."

Fitchburg police Sgt. Glenn Fossa said it also helps greatly if residents try to stay off the roads as much as possible during storms.

A CAT truck plows the parking lot at the Mall at Whitney Field in Leominster on Tuesday afternoon.
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"Police are urging people to use caution if they are out and stay inside if they don't have to go out," he said. "We've had an average number of calls because of the snow we have. I would say right now, we're doing very well with the consideration of how much snow we actually got."

Dianna Remal, assistant manager at Aubuchon Hardware in Lunenburg, said business has been strong all season, thanks to the snow.

"There's certainly been a run on rock salt and a salt you can use that's safe for your pets," she said. "Roof rakes have been pretty popular, too. Lucky for us, we got restocked with things Friday, were sold out Sunday, and were restocked Monday. It's really nice for us because our warehouse is right down the road.

Lee and Amy Duffy walk up Holt Street in Leominster after getting supplies for the storm on Tuesday afternoon.
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Tuesday's snowfall comes on the heels of storms that dumped a foot of snow Thursday, and another 6 inches Saturday.

And now comes the warm-up. Warmer weather and rain over the next several days should provide a respite for residents weary of weeks of bitter cold.

Temperatures above freezing in places where the storm passed through Tuesday should move up to the 40s to mid-50s for the rest of the week, said meteorologist John Cristantello, of the National Weather Service in New York.

Despite the warming and some expected rain today and Friday, flooding will not be a concern in New England, said Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the weather service in Taunton.

"The snow can handle a lot of rain," he said. "It's not like we're looking at temperatures into the upper 50s and mid-60s. The snow's not going to all melt away all at once. By next week, we'll be back down to normal and below-normal temperatures."

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and many local fire departments have warned everyone to check their carbon-monoxide detectors, chimneys and vents as the heavy amounts of snow on the ground increase the risk posed by carbon monoxide.

That threat was felt in full force in Plaistow, N.H., where three people were found dead and a fourth was hospitalized Tuesday.

Authorities in New Hampshire say carbon-monoxide buildup was caused by a propane heating system, and that carbon-monoxide detectors in the home didn't have batteries.

Staff reporters Katina Caraganis and Robert Mills contributed to this report.

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